Entering the 18th Fairway at Dawn Patrol for the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Photo D. Paul Graham

“Monday 5 Things”™ ….. 73^rd Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance …..

We are rolling into another Monday, but this isn’t just any Monday. This is the Monday after one of the world’s most spectacular automotive events – the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in beautiful Monterey California. The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is a name that rolls off the tongue like a finely tuned V12 engine. Pebble isn’t just an event; it’s a pilgrimage, the zenith of the automotive world, a bucket list rite of passage for anyone who considers themselves to be a connoisseur of automotive art.  A week-long happening in Monterey where cars and culture collide in a symphony of style and sophistication, culminating in Concours Sunday at Pebble. A celebration of automotive excellence so exquisite, it makes mere mortals weep at the sight of chrome, leather, and the smell of petrol. Whether you’re there to buy, to sell, or just to ogle, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is the pinnacle of car culture. This morning’s M5T fires on all cylinders with a deep appreciation for the art, the history, and the sheer beauty of the automobile, all wrapped in the sun, fog, and mist that is Pebble Beach.

1. ROLLING ART. Sunday at Pebble Beach isn’t just a car show. It’s an open-air museum. The cars aren’t just vehicles. They’re masterpieces on wheels. Imagine strolling through a museum, but instead of paintings, you’re surrounded by Bugatti’s, Ferrari’s, Bentley’s, Porches, Mercedes’, Delahey’s, pre-war, post war, concept cars, hyper cars, and race cars (I could go on and on) all looking like they just rolled off the assembly line in some alternate universe where time doesn’t exist. Each car has a story, a heritage, a pedigree. They are perfectly restored and meticulously polished. That is the magic of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

2. PEBBLE PEOPLE. Pebble People are auto buffs from all walks of life mixing with thousandaires, millionaires, and billionaires. Car enthusiasts, mingling together as if discussing the finer points of a carburetor is the most natural thing in the world. You might find yourself shoulder to shoulder with Jay Leno discussing his latest garage acquisition, Christian Koenigsegg who might discuss why he named one of his cars after his father, people you’ve seen on the big screen, the small screen, or on the pages of Forbes and the Wall Street Journal. You may chance upon a 102-year-old-war hero who had always wanted to go to Pebble, or you might sit on a bench at the Lodge talking with man who knows he will soon die of cancer and is sharing the week with his family. Pebble is where old money meets new, where automotive royalty rubs shoulders with tech moguls, legendary designers, and those with large and small collections. It’s not just a show. It’s a social event, a chance to see and be seen, a veritable who’s who of the automotive world. Men’s and women’s fashion at Pebble could easily justify its own Vogue spread. Sunday at Pebble Beach is like the Oscars, but for cars. People watching is worth the price of admission.

3. THE AMBIANCE. Nestled along California’s rugged and breath-takingly scenic Monterey Peninsula, Pebble is set amongst golf courses, ocean views, and some of the country’s most expensive real estate. Million-dollar hyper cars, high rpm’s whining, make their way along 17 Mile Drive as waves crash on rugged sea-etched rocks with the crystal-blue Pacific Ocean as backdrop. Added to this is the drama of auctions held by Gooding’s, Hagerty, Mecum, and Sotheby’s where tens-of-millions of dollars of cars trade hands over 3 days. Historic races at the legendary Laguna Seca are a racers delight. Excentric owners of cars shown at the popular Concours d’Lemon provide some comedic relieve in contrast to the serious side of the Concours d’Elegance. Other events throughout the Monterey Peninsula and Carmel by the Sea are automotive appetizers leading up to the main course on Sunday, that starts with Dawn Patrol at 4:30 am. Framed by all of this are some of the most beautiful cars ever made that provide a visual feast that’s almost too perfect to be real. The salty sea breeze, the lush green grass, and the endless horizon make every photograph look like it’s been lifted from a luxury car calendar. Pebble is the kind of place where land meets the sea and can make the most jaded soul believe in the magic of California coastal living.

4. THE COMPETITION. The cars are beautiful, but this isn’t just an automotive beauty pageant. The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is a competition of the highest order. Judges scrutinize each vehicle with the intensity of a jeweler inspecting exquisite gems for the slightest flaw. If you think you’re meticulous about keeping your car clean, you haven’t met the collectors who showcase their vehicles at Pebble. We’re talking about a level of detail that borders on obsessive. The attention to detail is perfection perfected. Every chrome trim is polished to a mirror finish, every stitch in the upholstery is flawless, every nut and bolt accounted for, and the engines look as if they never met a drop of oil and were polished by an obsessive mechanic with OCD. The judges at Pebble Beach don’t miss a thing, and neither do the owners. When the competition is this high, perfection isn’t just expected, it’s obligatory.

5. HORSEPOWER HISTORY. Every car at Pebble has a story, and those stories are often as fascinating as the vehicles themselves. Pebble allows us to gaze into the past, into an era where craftsmanship, design, and innovation were the ultimate status symbols. Whether it’s a 1930s Bentley that once raced at Le Mans or a Ferrari that Enzo himself had a hand in designing, the history at Pebble Beach is tangible. It’s a living museum where you can practically hear the echoes of past glories. It’s like taking a journey through automotive history and time, with each car telling its own story. Pebble exhibits vehicles that have won some of the most famed races in history, have been owned by royalty and celebrities, or simply represent the pinnacle of automotive engineering from their respective eras. It’s not just about the cars themselves, but the stories, the legacies, and the pedigrees they personify. Stories of innovation, passion, the hunt to acquire, the family legacies, and, in some cases, a lot of money spent on restoration to preserve historically important automobiles. Pebble isn’t just a celebration of cars. It’s a celebration of the rich history and culture that surrounds them. Pebble is the event where you can see the rarest of the rare, the best of the best, all in one place.

Here’s to a week of celebrating the importance of the automobile in our lives.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go get my car washed.

Paul is passionate about people, culture, photography and business. He has embraced his wanderlust with his travels around the globe and is at peace with his need for spirited drives in all things automotive.

For over 12 years, D. Paul Graham has published “Monday 5 Things” ™, also known to readers as M5T™.  He is at peace with his need for spirited drives in all things automotive.

© 2024 D. Paul Graham

You can reach Paul by email at dpg@imagegraham.com

“Monday 5 Things” ™ and M5T™ are trademarks of D. Paul Graham